Electronic devices, such as portable media players, cellular phones, personal digital assists (PDAs), and the like, are prevalent in today's marketplace, as are the peripheral electronic devices that support their use, such as docking stations and the like. As competition in the personal electronics marketplace becomes ever more heated, consumers have become more demanding in terms of both the functionality and use of such devices.
Users listen to, watch, or otherwise receive and consume content in a variety of contexts. For example, it is common to listen to music while driving, riding public transit, exercising, hiking, doing chores, or the like. Additionally, users now are more often using media players to receive radio, television, and satellite broadcasts, Global Positioning and other broadcast-based location services for navigation and recreation in addition to the playback of content stored on the media players.
Conventionally, a media player or portable media player can be capable of playing media, such as audio (e.g., songs) or video (e.g., movies) for the benefit of its user. When playing audio, if the media player includes a display, the display can present the name of the song, artist, and other information pertaining to the song. In the case of playing a video, the display can be used to present the video.
Typically, these media players are statically configure to provide one mode of operation. For example, a typical media player may present one consistent user interface and set of applications to the user at all times. Moreover, even though the user can alter the type of content played by a device, generally, the same content will be available to the user irrespective of the activity of the user.
Accordingly, what is desired are improved methods and apparatus for solving the problems discussed above. Additionally, what is desired are improved methods and apparatus for reducing some of the drawbacks discussed above.